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Reuse and Recycling Team Up for the Future of Textiles on TV Prato
January 30, 2023A memorandum of understanding has been signed to promote reuse and recycling strategies in the textile industry
Address future challenges in the sector, and jointly organize regulatory efforts at the local, national, and European levels.
“Reuse and recycling are teaming up for the future of textiles. A coordination table will be established to give a unified voice to the sector. This is what has been signed by Astri, the Italian Recycled Textile Association, and Corertex, the textile reuse and recycling consortium,” as stated in the agreement. The goal is to “develop projects aimed at reducing waste in the production of textile waste, promoting their recovery and reuse.” Additionally, they aim to “promote the adoption of regulatory and authorization standards for the recovery, recycling, and reuse of textile production waste and post-consumer cycles.”
The first concrete action resulting from the signing of the memorandum of understanding is the establishment of a coordination table, composed of representatives from both organizations, which will meet regularly. Here, joint actions will be planned, results will be reviewed, and the expertise of professionals will be enlisted for the development of individual entities.
“Every time there are issues to be addressed, we will do so collectively,” explains Fabrizio Tesi, President of Astri. “The first plants and companies dedicated to recycling have common interests, and sharing difficulties and opportunities can only add value to the district. In the coming months, challenges such as extended producer responsibility and the textile recycling hub will significantly change the dynamics we have experienced so far. Choices make a difference, and that’s why the combination of an association like Astri’s experience and the strength of an operational consortium like Corertex can only lead to good results.”
Regarding activities, the memorandum of understanding mentions the desire to develop proposals and strategic actions toward institutions and stakeholders. It also aims to promote scientific research to provide an effective response to eco-toxicological issues related to recycled products. Furthermore, it supports promotional events to spread the ecological values of recycled textile production and the reuse of the Prato district. Raffaello De Salvo, President of Corertex, emphasizes the common battles ahead: “Reuse and recycling are links in the same chain and must stand together in decision-making forums with the same interests. One of the goals is to avoid sending used clothing to landfills, as it represents a waste of secondary raw materials and environmental damage. Additionally, there’s the issue of not paying the 22% VAT again when we reintroduce a used garment into the market, considering that there has been no industrial transformation and that the VAT for that item has already been paid.”
Finally, a few numbers: Corertex was established in 2022 and consists of 25 companies engaged in textile reuse and recycling. It is an operational consortium that has brought together reuse companies for the first time in the history of the district to collectively address industry challenges. Astri, on the other hand, was founded in August 2017 with the aim of informing the younger generations about recycled textiles and the opportunities in the sector. It now has 204 member associations, mostly from Prato, but also includes companies from central and northern Italy.”
Credit tvprato.it
